Radiological Doses and Risk Assessment of NORM Scrap Metal by Using RESRAD-RECYCLE Computer Code

摘要

In this work the radiological dose and risks resulting from recycling of radioactive contaminated NORM scrap metal that produced from one of oil and gas production companies in Egypt, were determined by using RESRAD-RECYCLE computer code. Two scenarios were used: the first was the workers’ scenario, while the second was end-use product scenario. Workers’ scenario was used in this study for evaluating the dose and risk to workers who process recycled materials. This scenario focused on the transport of radioactive NORM scrap metal from the place of origin to the smelter (scrap delivery step). Scenarios for six different workers were included under the scrap delivery step: two workers scrap cutter, two workers scrap loader, and two workers scrap truck driver. The values for each scenario were specified on the basis of processing 200 tons of NORM scrap metal. Because these operations occur before melting of the metal, mass and radionuclide partitioning factors were not applied in the scrap metal delivery step. The radionuclide concentration of the NORM scrap metal was used directly in the dose calculation. The maximum doses received from direct external exposure to all radio nuclides during cutter/sorter, scrap truck driver and unloading of scrap metals were 2.14E-04, 1.4E-06 and 1.86E-05 (mSv) respectively. The excess cancer risks for all radio nuclides during cutter/sorter of scrap metals reached 1.25E-07. Radiation exposures incurred by the scrap unloaders and scrap cutters/sorters were greater than those incurred by the other workers for their closer exposure distances and longer time.